Only employed members of the CERN personnel (fellow or staff) and employed members of ESO (fellow or staff), in accordance with the CERN/ESO Agreement.
Only employed members of the CERN personnel (fellow or staff) and employed members of ESO (fellow or staff), in accordance with the CERN/ESO Agreement.
As an employed member of the CERN/ESO personnel (fellow or staff), subject to the conditions specified in the CERN/ESO Agreement, you will automatically join the Fund, as membership is compulsory. Your contribution is automatically deducted from your monthly salary.
As a CERN/ESO staff member or ESO fellow, contributions are based on your monthly CHF reference salary and calculated using the following rates:
a) If you joined the Fund on or before 31 December 2011:
o Member: 11.33%
o Organisation: 22.67%
b) If you joined the Fund on or after 1 January 2012:
o Member: 12.64%
o Organisation: 18.96%
As a CERN fellow, your contributions are based on a fixed reference salary of 6 367 CHF and calculated using the rates above.
As a CERN GRAD, your contributions are based on a fixed reference salary of 5 748 CHF and calculated using the rates above.
As an employed member of the CERN/ESO personnel, the reference salary is: basic salary for 40 hours per week multiplied by the applicable C factor.
If you are a CERN fellow (junior or senior), the reference salary is: 4722 CHF multiplied by the applicable C factor, which is 1.3322.
If you are a CERN GRAD, the reference salary is: 4263 CHF multiplied by the applicable C factor, which is 1.3322.
You can find it on the “C Factor calculator” webpage or in Annex A of the CERN Pension Fund Rules and Regulations
As a CERN/ESO staff member or ESO fellow, contributions are based on your monthly CHF reference salary and calculated using the following rates:
a) If you joined the Fund on or before 31 December 2011:
o Member: 11.33%
o Organisation: 22.67%
b) If you joined the Fund on or after 1 January 2012:
o Member: 12.64%
o Organisation: 18.96%
As a CERN fellow, your contributions are based on a fixed reference salary of 6 367 CHF and calculated using the rates above.
As a CERN GRAD, your contributions are based on a fixed reference salary of 5 748 CHF and calculated using the rates above.
As a member of the CERN personnel, your reference salary can be found on your payslip under “CONTRIB. PENSION”.
As a member of the ESO personnel, you can calculate your reference salary using the data provided on your payslip under “Pension CERN” (basic salary in CHF x C factor).
The contribution rates are defined in the CERN Pension Fund Rules and Regulations. Only in certain cases (such as unpaid special leave, parental leave, part-time work, etc.) will you have the option to suspend or reduce your contributions.
If you decide to continue to contribute at 100%, there is no impact on your benefits.
If you decide to contribute pro rata, your benefits will be reduced accordingly, due to the reduced level of contributions.
If you decide to continue to contribute at 100%, there is no impact on your benefits.
If you decide to contribute pro rata, your benefits will be reduced accordingly, due to the reduced level of contributions.
For members who joined the Fund:
For members who joined the Fund:
You can ask for an anticipated retirement pension:
Pensions and other benefits, such as transfer value, are taxable under conditions defined in the national fiscal legislation which is applicable to the person concerned.
Yes, if you become a beneficiary of a retirement or disability pension and as long as you have been affiliated for at least five years before your contract end date.
Your spouse has the right to a surviving spouse’s pension if your marriage lasts for at least a year (unless you have dependent children, in which case this condition does not apply).
Your children have the right to an orphan’s pension for as long as they are considered as dependent.
Your ex-spouse has rights after your death only if you were paying maintenance, if she/he is at least 45 years of age and if the marriage lasted for at least 10 years.
Yes, the CERN Pension Fund accepts transfers from pension schemes in which provision is made for contributions by the employer. Please first contact your previous scheme to ensure that a transfer to the CERN Pension Fund is permitted (as some schemes do not allow this).
You can find it on the “C Factor calculator” webpage or in Annex A of the CERN Pension Fund Rules and Regulations
As a member of the CERN personnel, your reference salary can be found on your payslip under “CONTRIB. PENSION”.
As a member of the ESO personnel, you can calculate your reference salary using the data provided on your payslip under “Pension CERN” (basic salary in CHF x C factor).
As an employed member of the CERN/ESO personnel, the reference salary is: basic salary for 40 hours per week multiplied by the applicable C factor.
If you are a CERN fellow (junior or senior), the reference salary is: 4722 CHF multiplied by the applicable C factor, which is 1.3322.
If you are a CERN GRAD, the reference salary is: 4263 CHF multiplied by the applicable C factor, which is 1.3322.
In February each year, you will receive a “Statement of declaration of your income”.
Please contact the Benefits Service at least three months before the chosen anticipated retirement date.
The exchange rate is published by the tax office in April and communicated in the CERN Bulletin.
The applicable method depends on your personal situation and particular dates. To determine which method is relevant, please refer to the following guidance:
Should your date be:
Every year in December you receive a letter from the Fund with information on the annual adjustment to your benefits effective 1 January the following year. The letter includes your updated purchasing power loss (PPL) balance for the coming year.
The funding ratio used in the annual adjustment calculation is the funding ratio on an accounting basis and is included in the Statement of Financial Position of the Pension Fund’s last audited Financial Statements.
The Geneva CVI used in the annual adjustment calculation is Geneva CVI for the last twelve-month period from August to August.
The actuarial parameter for annual inflation, from the last periodic actuarial review, is noted in the actuarial section of the Fund’s Annual Report.
If, between 1 January 2012 and 31 July 2019:
You have a minimum PPL account balance. It is based on the month and year of one of the above situations. Your minimum PPL account balance is used to determine whether you will receive an annual adjustment. You will not receive an annual adjustment unless your individual accumulated PPL balance has reached your minimum PPL account balance. The different minimum PPL account balances are set out in Table 1 of Annex C of the Rules and Regulations.
As a beneficiary you have an individual PPL account. This is the individual account maintained for each beneficiary with the accumulated loss of purchasing power i.e. the difference between Geneva CVI and your annual adjustments. Your individual accumulated PPL balance has not reached 8% or your minimum PPL balance so no adjustment is granted.
If Geneva CVI is zero then you will not receive an annual adjustment.
If Geneva CVI is negative then you will not receive an annual adjustment, however your PPL account balance will be reduced accordingly, and your benefits will remain unchanged.
You can only reduce your capital (30 days notice). Please complete the form and return the original, signed in ink, to the Fund's Benefits Service.
You should complete the form and return the original, signed in ink, to the Fund’s Benefits Service.
Please send, by post only, a signed resignation letter (giving 30 days’ notice) to the Benefits Service.
Yes, provided that operational requirements are met (e.g. standard international IBAN payments must be supported) benefits may be paid in a CERN/ESO Member State or Associate Member State. Payments are made in Swiss francs and any bank or transfer fees would be at your expense.
Pensions are paid monthly, in advance, between 6 and 8 of the month.
No, there is no monthly pay notification; however, every January, beneficiaries receive a monthly breakdown valid for the entire year. If the beneficiary’s personal situation changes, an updated monthly breakdown will be sent.
The exchange rate is published by the tax office in April and communicated in the CERN Bulletin.